Method for promoting hair growth

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a pharmaceutical composition intended for the topical application to human skin, comprising 
     (A) as an effective ingredient, a mixture comprising 
     (1) an antibiotic medication; 
     (2) an antihistamine; and 
     (B) a physiologically acceptable carrier. 
     Also disclosed is a method for treatment using this composition.

This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/407,451 filed Mar. 20,1995 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,397.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to a topical composition which may beapplied to skin for the purpose of killing fungus and/or bacteria or forthe purpose of promoting hair growth.

Many fungicidal compositions are known in the art. But commonly theireffectiveness in addressing fungal and/or bacterial infections in humansis quite limited. It appears in most instances that the human body's ownimmune system actually defends the infected area of the body, therebyreducing the amount of the antibacterial and/or fungicidal substanceswhich pass through the barrier of the immune system and reach theinfection. By reducing the free transfer of the disease from theaffected area to the healthy areas, the body prevents or reduces thespread of the disease. But this function has the drawback of impedingthe transfer of antibiotics and fungicides to affected areas where theymay perform their function of killing the infection.

The present inventor has found that by suppressing the immune system, afreer transfer of antibiotics and/or fungicides can be achieved; themore the immune system is suppressed, the more effective the antibioticsand/or fungicides become.

Also, a number of compositions are known which are asserted to promotehair growth in humans. However, such hair growth compositions seem towork by stimulating blood flow and require constant application,suggesting that whatever hair growth results is forced. In other words,these compositions increase blood flow providing more nourishment forhair growth than occurred before the application of the compositions.Further, such compositions offer only limited success and only with alimited class of users.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide acomposition which may be applied to human skin where it willsuccessfully kill bacterial and/or fungal infections, without causingadverse side effects.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a compositionwhich may be applied to human skin, particularly the head, where it willpromote the growth of hair.

These and other objects are achieved by the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a composition intended for the topicalapplication to human skin, comprising

(1) an antibiotic medication such as penicillin VK (Rugby), doxycycline(Rugby) or erythrocin (Abbott Laboratories); and

(2) an antihistamine such as bromohenivamine (Schein), Chlorpromazine(Schein), diphenylhydramine hydrochloride (Parke-Davis),chlorpheniramine malate, chlorpromazine malate, and bromopheniramine.

Certain embodiments of the invention may also contain (3) anantiinflammatory medication such as aspirin (Goldline), hydrocortisonecream (Rugby), hydrocortisone powder (Parma-Tek Inc.) and hydrocortisoneacetate injectable (Merck Sharp & Dohme), and/or (4) a bactericidecombination of neomycin/bactracine/polymyxin B sulfate.

The inventor has surprisingly found that this combination of ingredientsproduces remarkable effects in treating fungal and/or bacterialinfections in humans and in promoting human hair growth.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The human body's immune system builds a multifunctional defensivebarrier between an affected area and an unaffected area of the body. Themore dangerous the immune system considers this affected area to be, themore pronounced the interference between the affected and unaffectedareas becomes. The ability to provide medication to the affected area isalso reduced in direct relation to the effectiveness of thisinterference.

The present applicant has found that by temporarily reducing theeffectiveness of this defensive area, ordinary medications become veryeffective very quickly. The composition described herein is intended toaccomplish this result.

The composition described herein has been found to be effective in thetreatment of conditions, such as dandruff, staph sores, fungalinfections, urethra infection, scarring, and prostate infection.

Relative amounts of 50 to 80% by weight antihistamine to 50 to 20% byweight antibiotic/fungicide appear to be effective. Preferred relativeamounts being 55 to 80% by weight antihistamine to 45 to 20% by weightantibiotic/fungicide, more preferred relative amounts being 60 to 75% byweight antihistamine to 40 to 25% by weight antibiotic/fungicide, andmost preferred relative amounts being 65 to 75% by weight antihistamineto 35 to 25% by weight antibiotic/fungicide.

Although many combinations of types and brands of antihistamines andantibiotics and/or fungicides may be used effectively, antibiotics andfungicides which are known to work well with the particular infection tobe treated, should be tried first.

It is desirable to mix the ingredients into a paste because a liquid isneeded to carry the mixture of the invention into the affected area. Thepaste mixture should be kept moist to continue its effectiveness and toprevent undue drying of the mixture. If the paste mixture becomes undulydry after application to the skin surface, it will tend to fall off theskin.

If the paste mixture is allowed to be dry on the skin, the addition of acream may be helpful in holding the mixture together in place on theskin surface.

The best results appear to be obtained with hydrocortisone cream. Theantiinflammatory characteristics of the cortisone are believed to aid inthe free flow of the antibiotics. Topical compositions according to thepresent invention, which contain cortisone cream, virtually eliminateinfections within a few hours to a few days. Also, pain and bruising isreduced with the use of cortisone cream.

The components of the present invention may also be combined withblephamide as a carrier. Embodiments of the invention containingblephamide result in particularly fast recovery, as well as offeringgood anaesthetic effects. Blephamide appears to be particularlyeffective in treating conditions on the eye lid or conditions effectingthe surface of the skin such as burns.

The healing process with the topical composition of the presentinvention appears to be different from that with conventionalcompositions. While the healing period with the present invention may be50 to 75% longer than with such conventional compositions, the pain,swelling, and discoloration associated with the infected area aregreatly reduced. Scarring is also reduced and may actually beeliminated. Nerve regrowth is speeded up. Further, there is little or noscab growth because the body no longer regards the infected area as alocation which must be protected.

The wound should be covered completely by the composition of the presentinvention throughout the first half of the healing process. Also, aportion of the area peripheral to the wound should be covered. For theremaining healing time, the wound itself should remain covered. If painreturns, full coverage should be restored.

Existing scars may be softened and reduced by application of theinventive composition.

The effective use of the present invention can be accelerated if theapplied inventive composition is kept covered and moist.

The application of heat to the wound is also helpful.

Penicillin has been a widely prescribed antibiotic composition since the1930's.

Diphenylhydramine is marketed in the United States under the nameBENADRYL™.

Hydrocortisone is marketed in the United States under the nameHYDROSKIN™.

The bactericide combination of neomycin/bactracine/polymyxin B sulfateis marketed in the United States under the name BACTINE™.

Turning to the use of the present invention for hair growth, the presentinventor has concluded that hair growth compositions seem to work bystimulating blood flow and require constant application. This suggeststhat whatever hair growth results is forced growth. In other words, anincreased blood flow provides more nourishment for hair growth thanoccurred before the application of these compositions. Further, suchcompositions offer only limited success and only with a limited class ofusers.

But with the composition of the present invention, one or moreapplications will grow hair in about eight weeks. Further, since nomaintenance applications are required, the present inventor infers thatthe hair growth is not forced hair growth. Since the hair growthcontinues, even without further applications, for six months or more,the present inventor believes that the cause of such growth is anincrease in nutrients which results in greater hair growth, rather thangreater blood flow. The present inventor concludes that some forms ofhair loss may be caused by infection(s) in the area of the hairfollicle. The composition of the present invention reduces or kills suchinfection(s).

On the other hand, the infection(s) seem to return after a period of sixmonths or more. Accordingly, new applications of the inventivecomposition are needed to maintain the hair.

The composition of the present invention also has the effect of reducingor treating dandruff. By varying the composition of the presentinvention, dandruff can be virtually eliminated as hair growth renews.

In some embodiments of the present invention, 10 grains of antibioticand 10 grains of antihistamine are mixed together. To that mixture isadded 6 to 12, or even more, grains of cream or ointment. If that creamor ointment is not cortisone cream, 3 or 4 grains of cortisone cream maybe included. A liquid may be required at this point to achieve theproper consistency.

Injectable antihistamine and antiinflammatory preparations may be used.The addition of water or mineral oil to noninjectable antihistamine andantiinflammatory preparations is also effective in making paste of aworkable consistency.

The present invention is further described by the following exampleswhich should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention inany respect.

EXAMPLE I

The powder from twelve 500 mg. penicillin tablets was combined with two50 mg. ampules of injectable Benadryl™. Added thereto was about a 21/2"to 3" squirt of Rugby Hydroskin™ and a few drops of Bactine™ until themixture was thinner than honey.

This composition was then rubbed into a clean scalp at night and removedeach morning for eight days. Within eight weeks hair growth wasobserved.

EXAMPLE II

A patient suffered a fungus infection under his toenails which hadridged them up to a considerable extent. On a clean toenail threeapplications of the composition of Example I brought back the pink skinunder the nail. All of the white was gone.

EXAMPLE III

To a patient suffering from scar tissue behind his ear was subjected torepeated applications of the composition of Example I. Over an extendedperiod of about three months, all of the scar tissue but one wrinkle andall of the effected flesh but one dot were gone.

What I claim is:
 1. A method for promoting hair growth, said method comprising the step of applying a pharmaceutical composition intended for the topical application to human skin, said composition comprising(A) as an effective ingredient, a mixture comprising(1) an antibiotic medication; (2) an antihistamine; and (B) a physiologically acceptable carrier,wherein the antibiotic is present in a relative amount of 50% to 20% by weight and the antihistamine is present in a relative amount of 50% to 80% said amounts being based upon a total amount of antibiotic and antihistamine.
 2. The method for promoting hair growth in a human of claim 1, wherein the antibiotic is kaphlex.
 3. The method of treatment of claim 1, wherein the antiinflammatory medication is hydrocortisone cream.
 4. The method of treatment of claim 1, wherein the mixture further comprises an antiinflammatory medication.
 5. The method of treatment of claim 1, wherein the mixture further comprises a bactericide combination of neomycin/bactracine/polymyxin B sulfate.
 6. The method of treatment of claim 1, wherein the antihistamine is bromopheniramine.
 7. The method of treatment of claim 1, wherein the antihistamine is chlorpromazine.
 8. The method of treatment of claim 1, wherein the antihistamine is diphenylhydramine hydrochloride.
 9. The method of treatment of claim 1, wherein the antibiotic medication is penicillin VK.
 10. The method of treatment of claim 1, wherein the antibiotic medication is doxycycline.
 11. The method of treatment of claim 1, wherein the antibiotic medication is erythrocin.
 12. The method of treatment of claim 1, wherein the antihistamine is bromohenivamine.
 13. The method of treatment of claim 1, wherein the antihistamine is chlorpromazine.
 14. The method of treatment of claim 1, wherein the antihistamine is diphenylhydramine hydrochloride.
 15. The method of treatment of claim 1, wherein the antihistamine is chlorpheniramine malate.
 16. The method of treatment of claim 1, wherein the antihistamine is chlorpromazine malate.
 17. The method of treatment of claim 1, wherein the antihistamine is bromopheniramine. 